Legendary University of Minnesota Duluth men’s hockey head coach Mike Sertich, who not only served as the head coach of the Bulldogs for 18 years, but was a defenseman from 1965-69, passed away on Thursday August 8 in Duluth, Minn. He was 77.
Sertich, who was at the helm of the UMD program from 1982-2000, guided UMD to all three of its Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season titles (1984-85 and 1993), both of its league playoff championships (1984-85) and its first four NCAA postseason berths (1983-85 and 1993). A native of Virginia, Minn., Sertich amassed an overall career record of 350-328-44. He was the recipient of the 1984 Spencer Penrose Award (American Hockey Coaches Association Coach of the Year) after his Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA title game against Bowling Green in Lake Placid, N.Y., and fell to the Falcons 5-4 after a four overtime thriller. Sertich returned UMD to the 1985 NCAA Frozen Four the following year and set a club mark for victories in the process (36-9-3 overall), and is one of just two four-time winners of the WCHA Coach of the Year Award (1983-85 and 1993) and the only individual to attain that honor three seasons in a row. Under Sertich, UMD produced three Hobey Baker Memorial Award winners (Tom Kurvers in 1984, Bill Watson in 1985 and Chris Marinucci in 1994), 11 NCAA All-Americans, five WCHA Player of the Year honorees and 21 future National Hockey League performers during his 18-year tenure.
Sertich assumed the Michigan Tech University head coaching reins from 2000-2003, before becoming a volunteer coach at the College of St. Scholastica in 2010, a role he held for three seasons. He was also an assistant coach with the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team in 2015-16 and volunteered with Hermantown youth hockey programs.
As a player for the Bulldogs, Sertich lettered three years (1966-69) and was voted the club’s Most Improved Player as a senior. A defenseman, Sertich skated in 64 games over his UMD career, where he scored two goals and added seven assists for two points. Sertich often joked about the “scoring prowess” he possessed while at played at UMD, though the one goal he rang up in WCHA play did come at the expense of a goaltender named Tony Esposito of Michigan Tech – and later – the netminder of the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL.
Academically, Sertich earned undergraduate degrees in both history and physical education from UMD in 1969, and then obtained his Master’s of Education from Bemidji State University in 1972.
A 2005 inductee into UMD’s Hall of Fame, Sertich received the 2004-2005 WCHA’s Distinguished Service Award and then the 2005 AHCA Snooks Founders Award. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2022, Sertich continued to inspire Bulldog and hockey fans alike. He was presented with the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum’s Spirit of Life Award at AMSOIL Arena in October of 2023.
Sertich is survived by his daughter Lori (Derek Fredrickson) and two sons John (Heidi) and Scott (Tammy) and grandchildren Danny, Shjon, Lauren, Elise, Sophia and brother Steve Sertich.
Coach Sertich asked that in lieu of flowers, memorials be directed to the UMD Coach Mike Sertich Men’s Hockey Scholarship. Donations can be made by visiting https://z.umn.edu/SertichFund or mailed to the UMD Advancement Office.
(info and photo courtesy of UMD Athletics)
